Meet the banana muffins of my dreams. They’re fluffy, whole grain, naturally sweetened, totally delicious banana muffins. They’re also about as healthy as muffins can be. The recipe calls for basic ingredients and you can mix them all together in one bowl. Too much to be true? Nope.
These muffins are a derivative of my super popular banana bread and pumpkin muffin recipes. If you love these, you certainly don’t miss the blueberry muffins in my cookbook.
Muffins aside, can I tell you what else is exciting? I got a new camera! Can you tell? Bueller? Bueller? Well, that’s ok. I can, and I’m thrilled about it. I bought my old camera during my last year of college and it was the best investment I ever made. Eight years and 88,000 (that’s eighty-eight thousand) photographs later, it was time to upgrade.
My new camera and I are still getting acquainted. I haven’t found the best settings or figured out all the fancy-pants features just yet (anyone want video?). We’ll get there. Photographing these banana muffins was a learning experience. A very tasty learning experience.
The Best Banana Muffins
Here are a few reasons to love this banana muffin recipe (which happens to be more nutritionally redeeming than most):
- These muffins are easy to make with basic ingredients. Only one bowl required!
- They’re made with 100% whole grains, yet they’re fluffy and delicious. No one will know the difference.
- They’re also naturally sweetened with maple syrup or honey, rather than loaded with refined sugar. The maple syrup (or honey) offers a touch of extra flavor, which I love.
- A touch of cinnamon offers some warming spice flavor. These muffins will make your house smell amazing!
- These muffins freeze well, too. Just defrost individual muffins in the microwave for 30 to 60 seconds, or until gently warmed through. You don’t want to overdo it.
Please let me know how your muffins turn out in the comments! I love hearing from you, and hope these banana muffins are your new favorite.
Craving more wholesome banana treats? Don’t miss my banana oat pancakes, vegan banana scones, healthy banana bread and banana cake with cream cheese frosting.
Watch How to Make Banana Muffins
Maple-Sweetened Banana Muffins
- Author: Cookie and Kate
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 11 muffins 1x
- Category: Baked goods
- Method: By hand
- Cuisine: American
These whole wheat, maple-sweetened banana muffins are so fluffy and moist, I bet no one can guess they’re healthy muffins. They’re easy to make, too, with basic ingredients and only one mixing bowl! Feel free to add mix-ins of your choice, like chocolate chips or toasted nuts. Recipe yields 12 muffins.
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup melted coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil*
- ½ cup maple syrup or honey
- 2 eggs, preferably at room temperature
- 1 cup packed mashed ripe bananas (about 3 bananas)
- ¼ cup milk of choice or water (I used almond milk)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon, plus more for sprinkling on top
- 1 ¾ cups white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour
- ⅓ cup old-fashioned oats (optional), plus more for sprinkling on top
- 1 teaspoon turbinado (raw) sugar or other granulated sugar, for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (165 degrees Celsius). If necessary, grease all 12 cups of your muffin tin with butter or non-stick cooking spray (my pan is non-stick and didn’t require any grease).
- In a large bowl, beat the coconut oil and maple syrup together with a whisk. Add the eggs and beat well. Mix in the mashed bananas and milk, followed by the baking soda, vanilla extract, salt and cinnamon.
- Add the flour and oats to the bowl and mix with a large spoon, just until combined. If you’d like to add any additional mix-ins**, like nuts, chocolate or dried fruit, fold them in now.
- Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups, filling each cup about two-thirds full. Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with a small amount of oats (about 1 tablespoon in total), followed by a light sprinkling of sugar (about 1 teaspoon in total). Bake muffins for 22 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.
- Place the muffin tin on a cooling rack to cool. You might need to run a butter knife along the outer edge of the muffins to loosen them from the pan. These muffins will keep at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. They keep well in the freezer in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months (just defrost individual muffins as needed).
Notes
Recipe adapted from my healthy pumpkin muffins.
*Oil options: I love coconut oil here. I used unrefined coconut oil and can hardly taste it in the final product. Olive oil might lend an herbal note to the muffins, if you’re into that (although, I tested with California Olive Ranch’s “Everyday” variety and couldn’t even taste it). Vegetable oil has a neutral flavor but the average vegetable/canola oil is highly processed, so I recommend using cold-pressed sunflower oil or grapeseed oil if possible.
**Change it up: You could really go crazy with add-ins here. Fold in up to ¾ cup chocolate chips, chopped dried cranberries or crystallized ginger and/or chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts. With add-ins, your muffins might require the full 25 minutes in the oven. Another idea? You could top your muffins with my maple glaze from my pumpkin scones recipe to make them more decadent.
Serving suggestions: These muffins are great on their own, with a pat of butter, or spread with almond butter. They would also be fantastic with homemade pecan butter or coconut butter.
Make it egg free: Substitute flax eggs for the regular eggs.
Make it vegan: Substitute flax eggs for regular eggs, use dairy-free milk like almond milk and use maple syrup instead of honey.
Make it gluten free: Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free all-purpose blend works well instead of the whole wheat flour.
Make it nut free: Use a nut-free milk.
Make it oat free: Simply omit the oats.
Make it lower in fat: I would argue that this bread contains a healthy amount of fat, but you can replace the oil with applesauce if you’re following a low-fat diet.
▸ Nutrition Information
This post contains affiliate links to Amazon, which means I’ll earn a small commission (at no cost to you) if you make a purchase through these links. Thank you for your support!
Susan
I discovered your blog while attempting to find a new healthier banana muffin recipe on line. I loved the ingredient list so I doubled it without even trying it first and added little chocolate morsels and crasins that I had on hand. It was truly a no fail, one bowl recipe that puts all others to shame. Friends loved them and I’ve frozen what I have left to defrost the nigh before for breakfasts. Thank you ( from a first time commenter
Kate
Susan, thank you so much for your note! Delighted to hear that these muffins turned out so well for you.
Elizabeth
These are so tasty. I added brewers yeast and flaxseed to help boost milk supply while breastfeeding
Kate
Thanks, Elizabeth!
Maddy
Hey Kate & Cookie,
I made these tonight and they turned out delicious! I added some blueberries and white chocolate chips as well, so moist & yummy :)
Thanks for the recipe!
Maddy from Australia
Kate
Thank you, Maddy! Your muffins sound great!
Sarah W.
Hi! I saw this and imediatly wanted to make them, they look so good! However, I do have a question. If I used a jumbo muffin tin instead of a regular cupcake tin, would I have to change anything about the cooking time?
Kate
Hey Sarah! Yes, I believe they would need to stay in the oven longer, but I’m not sure how long to tell you. They should be done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Ali
Excellent! I was out of wheat flour so I used oat flour. Also changed the milk out for whey. This is my new go to recipe!
Kate
Awesome, glad to know that oat flour turned out well! Thanks, Ali!
Stephanie B.
Thanks so much for this incredible recipe! I am always on the lookout for naturally sweetened treats, and this was a huge hit! Honestly, I was expecting dry and dull and for my kids not to eat them. Well that wasn’t the case… we ALL gobbled them up, and they were very moist and flavorful! Winner!
Kate
Hooray!!! Thanks, Stephanie! :)
Erin
I just made these and OMG! The mos delicious muffins I’ve ever had. I used Wholemeal Spelt flour, soy milk and honey. My new favourite thing! Thank you!
Kate
Hooray! Thanks, Erin!
Sarah
I really like this recipe, thank you for posting it! On my 2nd batch I cut the sweetener from 1/2 to 1/3 cup (half maple syrup and half honey). Also I am crazy for spice with banana baked goods so I used 1 full tsp cinnamon and added 1/4 tsp nutmeg. Tossed the topping oats with cinnamon too. Yum!
Kate
Thanks, Sarah!
Alicia
Hi there…I made these muffins today and I used maple syrup and threw in about 1/2 cup of chocolate chips and they were delish!!! My question is do you know a rough estimate calorie count on these muffins because I log my food intake and track calories? Thanks!!
Kate
Hey Alicia! I don’t, but here’s info from another commenter that might help: I actually calculated based on my variation of the recipe. I used 2 bananas and added 2 spoonfuls of peanut butter, and chose olive oil, whole cow’s milk, and maple syrup. The totals I got were 2562 calories and 58 grams of protein. Divide that by however many muffins you made :)
Karen
So I never leave comments…but I have to tell you, I just finished making these, and this is my new go-to banana muffin/bread recipe! They’re perfect! Thank you :)
Kate
Yay! Thank you, Karen!
Angela
Made these tonight: incredible! They are so moist and full of flavour yet also light and crumbly (I expected them to possibly be dense but they weren’t at all). I didn’t use any add-ins. This recipe is perfection and I’m looking forward to experimenting with different flavours. Thank you Kate :)
Kate
Thank you, Angela! :)
Holly
I made these last night. I used honey for sweetener and I added flax seeds and chopped apple (’tis the season here in Michigan!). My family loved them! I can’t wait to try the pumpkin muffins!!!!
Kate
Thanks, Holly! Glad you enjoyed them!
monica
Wow these are great.. and super moist..
I hid some from my kids to freeze, I took one out this morning and I am enjoying it at work with a cup of tea.. what a treat!!
I used part coconut flour and added pepitas and walnuts.
SUPER YUM!!
thanks for a wonderful recipe and a great blog!!
Monica
Kate
Thank you, Monica! :)
Dawn
Just made this recipe (with added toasted pecans and unsweetened coconut flakes). I had my first muffin (and a half) a few minutes ago. It was delicious! The muffin broke a bit when i took it out of the tin, but I think that is only because they weren’t fully cooled (I couldn’t help myself). My fiancé also loved them. We love how the muffins are healthy and wholesome, yet moist and delicious. They were so easy to make, too.
Thank you for sharing this recipe! :)
Kate
Thanks, Dawn! Glad you enjoyed these! They are a little delicate when they’re still warm, but I don’t blame you for breaking into them right away! :)
Jessica C
Made these today – delicious!! I was looking for a healthy banana muffin recipe. I have to eat gluten free for medical reasons – so I simply substituted a GF flour mix that I had on hand – used the olive oil, honey options, 1whole tsp of cinnamon (I love cinnamon!) with cinnamon sugar sprinkled on top – they turned out great! Made mini muffins, cooked for 12-15 minutes, made 44 mini muffins – yum! Great recipe – thanks! :)
Kate
Thanks, Jessica! Glad you enjoyed the muffins! I have a pumpkin version that you might like, too. :)
Michelle
Hey Kate I just made these and they are super delicious and moist!
Great recipe! Quick question…Can I make these with other mashed fruit like berries? I know you made them using pumpkin puree- just curious. Thanks
Kate
Thanks, Michelle! I’ve never tried substituting mashed berries for pumpkin or banana. That just might work. Please let me know if you try!
Kate
P.s. Yogurt would probably work great in place of the banana, if you’d like a more neutral-flavored muffin, and you could just mix in berries.
Michelle
Kate it worked out great! And they tasted yummy! I used 1 cup mashed raspberries/blackberries. The only thing is that the muffins turned out to be a purple ish brown color! Perfect for This time of year though! I have not tried the yogurt suggestion yet.
Kate
Glad to hear it, thanks Michelle!
Elaine
Abby, Made these muffins yesterday and they are extremely easy and delicious. Since I used coconut oil, I used coconut milk and some walnuts, blueberries and a bit of shredded coconut as added mix-ins and sprinkled some coconut on top along with the oats and sugar. I put some parchment and the muffins in a tin and they screamed “gift me”. These will be my go to muffins in the future. Thanks
Grace Winter
I’ve been doing a ton of Fall baking and realized that I needed to come up with some healthier options for the kids. These muffins are in the oven now and smell AMAZING! Thanks – so glad I found your blog!
Kate
Thank you, Grace!
Christy
Thank you for this great recipe! They were easy to make & my kids loved them. They were even better the next day when the banana flavor really came out.
Kate
Hooray, thanks Christy!
Amy
Can’t wait to try these! Can you use quick-cook oats or must they be old-fashioned?
Kate
Hi Amy! I haven’t tried with quick-cooking oats. They might disappear into the batter, but I think they’d work fine!
Parimala
Hi Kate,
Loved your recipe. I had to scour the internet to find a recipe that used only whole wheat flour. I did use an Indian roti flour (whole wheat, brand ashirvaad) and added 1/2 cup chopped pecans. It yielded about 12 medium sized muffins.
I also took the liberty to calculate the nutritional value for it.Here is the link for it: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/recipe/view/234227831377277
Thanks Again!
Kate
Glad you enjoyed the muffins, Parimala! Thank you so much for sharing your link. I really wish My Fitness Pal’s links worked the way they should—I can’t click on the recipe and get your details. I’ve even emailed them about it. :(
Parimala
That’s terrible :( It’s about 228 Calories per serving (total servings size 12 muffins) I could email you a snapshot of the recipe with the nutrition breakdown if you’d like. Thanks again :)
Lisa
Googled “healthy banana muffin recipes” and yours was the first hit! They turned out amazing. I cut back on the maple syrup to just under 1/3 of a cup (because I ran out, ha, ha), and they still were sweet enough for us! I got 14 tasty muffins out of your recipe. My 28 month-old son gives them two big thumbs up! Thanks for sharing! :)
Kate
Thanks, Lisa!
Kelli
Whoa. These are excellent. My variation, based on what I had and my preferences:
-1/4 cup more oats
-1/3ish cup chopped walnuts
-honey (rather than maple)
-1 flax egg, one regular egg
They’re moist, and especially good warm of course. :) Happy to be bringing them to a potluck this weekend.
Kate
Thanks, Kelli!
Jules
Eating a warm muffin now, and they are amazing! I used honey, 1 tsp cinnamon, a pinch of nutmeg, and ended up adding 1/4 cup more flour (didn’t measure bananas…just mashed 3 and am thinking they were on the big side). I will absolutely be making these again. Thanks for a great recipe!
Kate
Thank you, Jules!
Yordanka Betancourt
I usually don’t write any comments, but I have to take my time and do it for this recipe…Best banana muffins ever. I have made so many different recipes but this one is my top one. Thanks for sharing it…I’m looking forward to look at your page and try other recipes.
Kate
Thank you so much, Yordanka!
Elizabeth
I was in search of a new banana muffin recipe that was healthy but that didn’t require yogurt. And this one was perfect. I love the addition of oats to the batter. I made mine into mini muffins for lunch boxes and they are so cute! I’ll be exploring your other recipes too!
Kate
Thank you, Elizabeth! I bet you’d enjoy my pumpkin muffins, too!
Ada
I found this recipe and I have maple syrup in the fridge I haven’t used. I have been waiting a week until my bananas were extra ripe. The muffins are in the oven right now and smell heavenly! Your recipe was easy to follow and it actually yield 15 muffins for me! I used an almond/coconut milk blend. These muffins are kid approved!!! Thank you so much!
Kate
Thank you, Ada! Glad these were worth the wait!
Allison
These are great! I added chopped & lightly toasted raw recans & 60% cacao chocolate chips and my fiance loves them! He’s my biggest critic and i’m always trying to bake healthier options. We have had some cardboard muffins let me tell you.. But there are fabulous! I love the flavor from the maple syrup & coconut oil.
Kate
Thanks so much, Allison!
jess
I am baking these now and they smell delicious!
Kate
Hope they turned out perfectly, Jess!
Quinn
MADE THESE TODAY AND THEY TURNED OUT FANTASTIC!!
btw, calories per muffin are ~200. I used maple syrup and made 12 muffins.
Quinn
Also, mixing the baking soda into the liquid muffins, never seen that before but it’s GENIUS. Thanks!!
Kate
Thank you, Quinn!
Chantelle O'Neil
Love your Maple sweetened Banana Muffins. I’ve made them about 4 times already. I love doubling the recipe and making the muffins double the size. Then they’re great for a breakfast meal on the run or in my case I have one while I’m nursing my baby:)
Kate
Thank you, Chantelle! Glad to hear these are keeping you fueled.
Lisa
These were fantastic! So many vegan recipes fall short of the ideal we grew up with, but not these. I used aquafaba (6 Tbs = 2 eggs), maple syrup and regular whole wheat flour. The texture and flavors were perfection. I can see using this as a guide and experimenting with other fruits, vegetables and spices. Thank you!
Kate
Thank you, Lisa! Glad to hear it! I have a pumpkin version of these that you might like, as well as banana bread and pumpkin bread.
Alexis
Holy knock my socks off delicious! I have these in the oven now and if the batter is anything to go my, I might just have to make another batch tomorrow! Love the fact they are sugar free, perfect for a healthy snack for my little ones. I did substitute the eggs for chia seeds though as I didn’t have any fresh eggs on hand. My house smells incredible right now! Thanks for the great recipe, this has just made it to my regular rotation. :-)
Kate
Thank you, Alexis! Happy to hear it!
Ariel
Just made these waffles now and I gotta say, they were beyond delicious! Topped them with peanut butter and a drizzle of agave syrup (that I also used in the recipe because I didn’t have maple syrup) and I sprinkled a few rolled oats over then I added banana slices. Heaven in a plate! If you have time ahead (cause they require a bit of time, of course), this is a perfect healthy breakfast in my opinion.
Kate
That’s so nice to hear. Thank you, Ariel!
Ella Cox
Dear Kate, I had to write because I love these muffins. I baked them last week and had 2 each morning with bananas and maple syrup. They were yum. My only problem is that on both occasion when I baked them, even with the recipe followed to a T, the bottom is quite hollow compared to yours. Yours look nice and dense. I tried putting in more oats and it made a bit of a difference but not enough and also tried to shake the tray so it’s all evenly distributed. Can you help?
Kate
Hi Ella! I’m sorry your muffins aren’t turning out perfectly. I’m not quite sure I understand what you mean by hollow. Can you tell that the muffin batter reached the edges of your pan?
Tessa
Excellent recipe, works for me every time! I’ve never baked a GF muffin that has such excellent texture, holds its shape perfectly (no deflating as it cools!), and reheats so well. I substitute quinoa flakes for the oats on top, adds a lovely flavour.
Thanks for your work!
Tess
Kate
Thanks, Tessa! Are you using a gluten-free flour blend for these?
Tessa
I do, yes! Forgot to mention that in my comment :) I normally use Orgran’s Plain GF flour mix, or one from my local supermarket (I’m in Australia).
Kate
Thanks, Tessa!
Kristie
What’s the nutritional info on these muffins? Calories per muffin, etc… :)
Kate
Hi Kristie, I’m sorry, I don’t offer nutritional details since they vary so much based on actual ingredients used. Feel free to run this one through a calorie counter like myfitnesspal.com.
Ella cox
Hi kate. What I mean when I say hollow is that when I take the case off, the bottom has holes inside the muffin. The batter definitely meets the edges of the tray. I think after baking them again, and finally being happy with how they turned out, that I must leave out the 1/4 cup milk you suggest. Thanks again! It’s all I’m having for breakfast at the moment. My husband called it a treat :)
Kate
Hi Ella, I’m glad you figured out how to make the muffins just the way you want them! Yay.
Alexandra Provatidou
Hello everyone! i am a starter in the kitchen field, although i made it happen! They came up delicious! i added some crunberries and in some others walnuts. it was fun making them. i was afraid they won t be ready in 20-25 in the oven so i let them 15′ more. i shouldnt but they are still delicious. The only thing is that i count the kcal and is almost 140 each one of them. most kcal come from oil and flour. what can we do about it ?
Kate
Thanks, Alexandra! I’m glad these turned out well for you. 140 calories per muffin is really reasonable for a muffin. If you take out oil and flour, you’ll have to replace it with something with around those calories, anyway.
Sarah
Hi! Do you have any idea how many calories are in each muffin?
Kate
Hi Sarah! I’m sorry, I don’t provide nutrition details since they’re really tricky to calculate for home cooking (like, what if you make 11 muffins instead of 12?). Please feel free to run the recipe through a nutrition calculator like myfitnesspal.com.
Kia
I just want to thank you for the recipe. It was so good I added some chocolate chips and the muffins were amazing
Kate
Thank you so much for saying so, Kia! :)
Beth
Kate, you are quickly becoming my “go-to” girl for recipes. Yesterday was gloomy and rainy and I felt like baking. So I searched your website first and found this recipe. This is my first attempt at baking with coconut oil, and I think I’ll be using it more often. These turned out fantastic. One commenter mentioned adding peanut butter and I think I’ll try that next time. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Michel
Beth, I tried today this recipe for the fifth times. During the last fourth times my muffins turned out a bit dry and today I did not use peanut butter and I made the bitter more runny by adding milk and I bake it just 23 min at 325 F. It came out very soft and spongy, I’m not sure if the peanut butter or less liquid that make it dry , anyway I’m so glad. Good luck!
Kate
Hi Beth! Thank you for your note. I’m so glad you enjoyed these muffins! Happy holidays!
Michel
HiKate, I tried this recipe and it works good. I use unbleached paper cups to avoid the mixe touching the Aluminium or coated muffin pan, which is unhealthy especially is the recipe call for acidic ingredients like Lemon and butter milk…Thank you
Kate
Thanks, Michel! I use a silicon-coated pan and hope it’s truly as non-toxic as they say it is.
Dee
Hi Kate! I just stumbled across your website as I was looking for a healthy muffin recipe and I can’t believe I haven’t seen it sooner! This recipe is so easy and the ingredients were all in my pantry already. I added dried cranberries and rolled oats, and sprinkled the muffins with brown sugar and more oats like suggested. They looked wonderfully rustic and tasted delicious – not too sweet or overly banana-y. This will definitely be my new go to banana muffin recipe. Can’t wait to try more of your creations! Hope you had a wonderful Christmas :)
Kate
Thank you, Dee! I’m so glad you found my site and enjoyed the muffins. Happy New Year!
Alexa
I made these muffins for my young nieces this morning. They were a hit with the adults and kids. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Kate
Thank you, Alexa! I’m happy to hear that.
Sharon
Hi Kate,
I’ve been making my healthier version of banana bread for a monastery where I cook. Thought I’d try your banana muffins this time. I tweaked your recipe just a tad by using 1/2 cup of King Arthur whole wheat stone grind flour. I also added a hint of nutmeg. Fingers crossed. They’re in the oven as I’m writing. Photos to come!
Kate
Thank you, Sharon! I hope your muffins turned out great!
Sharon
They did! The second batch had 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt added. They rise a bit more and were moist. First batch won the taste test. I’ll be making them again. Thanks for sharing your healthy recipe.
Kirbug
Can I substitute all purpose flour? I have loads of I bleached ap flour from the holidays, but now whole wheat.
Kate
Yes, that should work well!
Dana Appleby
Hi Kate! I made these muffins today! Yummy! I was wondering if you have nutrition facts on your recipes? Calories, sugar etc? Thanks!
Dana
Kate
Hi Dana, I’m so glad you enjoyed the muffins! I’m sorry, I don’t offer nutrition facts on my recipes. They just vary so much depending on the actual ingredients used, substitutions, etc.
a mom
I loved these muffins so much defiantly making these again. I’m actually making these tonight with the proper recipe. I didn’t have whole wheat flour but I had self raising flour with whole wheat and they tasted normal.
Rhonda
I have made these muffins twice a week (except summer months) since you posted the recipe! My kids think they are the *best* muffins ever and take them for school lunches and have them as an after school snack. I make them vegan by subbing 1/2 cup plain organic applesauce instead of the 2 eggs (no change in cooking time, haven’t tried flax eggs) and I use coconut milk since we are nut free. This recipe gives us 12 large muffins in our old stoneware muffin pan. Thank you for giving us a simple, quick, customizable muffin recipe that isn’t full of added sugar!
Kate
That makes me so happy. Thank you, Rhonda! I’m glad to know those substitutions work well for you.
Becca | Spices and Spatulas
Made these for breakfast this morning— AMAZING! I only had two bananas so I added some grated green apple. So delicious and not just for a “healthy” recipe. I’ll definitely be adding this recipe to my make-ahead weekday breakfast routine! Xo
Kate
Thank you, Becca! Grated apple sounds great to me.
Kelly F
These look so yummy!! Have you tried making this with less sugar? If I used 1/4 c sweetener would they still be sweet? TIA!
Kate
No, I haven’t tried that. If your taste buds are accustomed to less sweet treats, I think you’d enjoy them with just 1/4 cup since there are bananas in there, too. The more ripe your bananas are, the sweeter they will taste.
Christina
Wow! I made these exactly as written, with dark chocolate chips mixed in. I am a professional baker and have starting playing with coconut oil vs butter. These muffins are perfect!
I took a photo to share but nowhere to post it here. Next time i will make these in mini muffin tins and package them up in ziplocks for my 5 kids to pack in school lunches.
Kate
Thank you, Christina! Happy to hear that these met your standards. Love your mini muffins idea!
Bonnie
Stumbled across this muffin recipe when I googled “healthy banana muffins”. Wow. These are sensational. I have tried countless recipes with similar ingredients, most of which had the texture of cooked wallpaper paste or zero flavor. Have a feeling I’ll be making these again tomorrow!
Kate
Cooked wallpaper pasta, haha! I’m glad this recipe did the trick for you!
Shannon Jensen
I agree. Just found this recipe as I’m finding healthy alternatives for us. Wonder if you have an estimate of calories per muffin with this recipe? Thanks! Shannon
Kate
I’m sorry, I don’t!
Janna
158 calories. I used myfitnesspal calorie counter. You can put the url of the page with the recipe, it scans the page for the recipe and then does the calculations. You can edit the recipe too. Pretty handy.
Looking forward to trying these :)
Kate
Thank you, Janna!
heather
I tried using the URL in myfitnesspal and it didn’t work for me. Thank you though! Your post was helpful
Lisa
They are actually 233 calories…I just used My Fitness Pal
Angela
I just used my Spark People Calculator (which is usually very accurate because you can put in name brands that you use, been using it for many years) I came up w/201.7 calories per muffin.
Not bad. That’s in between the two previous figures.
Angela
CORRECTION: I made the recipe to specs and it yielded 12 generous muffins! So that brought down the calorie count I got to 185. They look beautiful! I haven’t tasted them yet, they just came out of the oven.
Stephanie
OMG had no idea MyFitnessPal did that, thanks so much! I’m following macros so this is ideal for me, thanks!
Gabrielle
Amazing recipe! Thanks for sharing :)
Margaret
I don’t have whole wheat flour but I have A LOT of Wheat Bran. Any substitutions for using wheat bran and all purpose flour or oat flour?
Kate
Hi Margaret, I’m sorry, I’ve never given that a shot! I don’t know how wheat bran would work as a sub.
Marge
Hello, I made your healthy banana muffins(exactly as written) this morning, they were unbelievable! I have never used whole wheat flour before. I have been a die-hard Better Homes & Gardens banana muffin recipe follower for about 35-40 years, but never again!
Thank you for this special treat.
Just goes to show you, “You can teach an old baker (73) new recipes”
Meemaw
Kate
Thank you for your note, Marge! Delighted to hear that you enjoyed these. :)
Elliot Velasco
Great recipe: excellent flavor. I used avocado oil instead of coconut and added 1/4 cup of cocoa powder for a chocolatier flavor.
Kate
Thank you, Elliot! Your bread sounds awesome!
Shelley
These muffins are fantastic and while you are a dog person, consider these cat approved…my cat is licking the muffin wrapper as I type. I added espresso powder and mini chocolate chips to mine and can’t wait to make these again.
Kate
Haha, love that! Your version sounds awesome.
Kathy
Great recipe! Simple and came out wonderful!
Kate
Awesome, thank you, Kathy!
Matthew
Wow! These were spectacular! I made them this weekend following the recipe exactly and folding in a handful of dark chocolate chunks (the trader joes kind) and we’ve eaten up the whole batch! I also was able to get 13 large muffins from the recipe. Will definitely be making them again. Thanks!
Kate
Thank you, Matthew! Really glad to hear it!
Annie
Thank you for the recipe! There’s only one muffin left after my little boys (ages 6, 4, 2) went through it. I used honey instead of maple sugar and toasted walnuts. I love your recipes!!
Jessica
Delish thanks and my kids like them hooray!
Kaylene
Hi Kate! I just made these muffins for breakfast this morning. I was attracted to this recipe because of all the wonderfully nutritious ingredients, but honestly didn’t think they would be nearly as tasty as they are!! My children are fighting over who gets to have a third muffin! I am normally a recipe changer but followed this exactly and wouldn’t change a thing!! It made 12 delicious muffins that all disappeared in 10 minutes! I am always in search of new flavours and recipes so barely bake something twice, but this will definitely make my recipe book!! Thanks heaps, from Australia :)
Kate
Thank you, Kaylene! I’m so glad these surpassed your expectations in the flavor department!
Jennifer
I agree these are yummy. I used bobs red mill 1/1 GF flour instead of whole wheat, added 1/2 c. applesauce, handful of toasted walnuts and topped with coconut flakes. Delicious! And the muffin pan you suggested is great, thank you!
Kate
Thank you, Jennifer! So glad you’re enjoying the bread and that pan!
NateJ
I typically never remember to go back and comment on a recipe I tried- but I had to this time. These muffins are amazing!! Thanks so much for taking the time to share this.
Kate
Yay! Thanks for taking the time, NateJ. I appreciate it.
Brandy
Hello, Do you know the calorie count by chacnce?
Kate
Hi Brandy, I’m sorry, I don’t offer nutrition details for my recipes since there are so many variables in home cooking. Please feel free to run this one through a nutrition counter like myfitnesspal.com.
Iman
Thank you for sharing this lovely recipe. It’s so amazingly flexible: I didn’t have enough of anything so used lots of your suggested swaps and they still turned out beautifully. I suspect that if I used another variation next time they’d also be great! Am looking forward to browsing further.
Kate
Thank you, Iman! I’m happy to hear it. Hope you enjoy my other recipes just as much!
Emily
This is the 3rd time I’m making these in the past two weeks! These muffins cannot make it past day 1in my home! They are so good and everyone I my family loves them! Thanks for sharing this scrumptious recipe!
Kate
Thank you, Emily!
Lorraine
Tasty! I added some toasted pecans and topped w a few chic chips. I baked only 20 min and they were over baked.
Kate
I’m sorry yours were over baked, Lorraine! Are you using a dark muffin tin? Dark surfaces bake their contents faster.
Lorraine
It is medium gray-ish. Maybe that’s it! I’ll watch more closely next batch.
Molly
Made the vegan version of these muffins with flax eggs and they turned out great! Perfectly moist and flavorful! This is my new go-to banana muffin recipe. I am so glad my aunt sent me your banana bread yesterday to try and then introduced me to your blog.
Kate
Thank you, Molly! Please thank your aunt for me, too! :)
Candy Ruport Moy
Just made these with gluten free flour. These are awesome! This recipe is definitely a winner.
Kate
Thank you, Candy!
Bhakti
Hi Kate,
Baking them tomorrow for my daughter. Just want to know the measurement of flax seed in this recipe. I want to make them egg free.
Thank you
Kate
Hi Bhakti, here’s a guide to making flax eggs. You’ll need to make two “eggs” for this recipe.
Laura
Almost didn’t comment because you have SO MANY COMMENTS, but I figure a positive review is always welcome! This was my first time on your site and your recipe didn’t disappoint. :) I made these muffins this morning and loved them! I like having some type of sweet to eat with my morning coffee, and these were perfect! I only had two bananas, so I used that, used 1 cup white and 3/4 whole wheat flour, and added blueberries. I am loving reading everyone else’s suggestions for mix ins. Espresso powder? Amazing idea!
Kate
Thank you for taking the time to comment, Laura! I’m so glad you found my site and enjoyed these muffins.
Rebecca Scott
my sister attempted this recipe however she could not follow the simple instructions given this therefore led to her produced bad muffins I hope this helps with producing more of your recipes in the future!
Kate
I’m sorry to hear that, Rebecca!
Rachel
Found your recipe with a google search! Added a bit of applesauce and a large handful of spinach(chopped in the food processor) and some benefiber powder and they turned out great! I almost regret adding chocolate chips because it takes away from the banana flavor. *Almost being the key word* Great recipe and easy to follow, will try more of yours! Thank you so much!
Kate
Thank you, Rachel! Glad you found my site! :)
Lisa
They are soon delicious!!!! :) could eat all of them at once ;)
Kate
Thank you, Lisa!
Eva
Kate, thanks so much for sharing this recipe! Made these today-watch out folks these are dangerously delicious and you won’t want to stop eating them! My whole family loved them! I made them with gluten free pancake and baking mix and honey. I also used 1 whole egg and 2 egg whites to reduce the fat a little bit. I want to make them again as well as the other recipes. In my muffin tin I needed to use all 12 of the cups.
Kate
Thank you, Eva!
Ruth
A friend made these and I liked them so much I got the recipe and made them for our family adding chocolate chips and they turned out so good!! I used ingredients I have never used before like coconut oil and white whole wheat flour! I made these again just now for a teacher appreciation breakfast! Thanks for a great healthful delicious recipe!!
Ruth
Kate
Thank you for letting me know, Ruth! I’m so glad you have been enjoying the muffins. I have lots of other recipes that call for coconut oil and white whole wheat flour!
Charlotte
I made these for the first time last Friday and have made another 2 batches since. My whole family love them, even the children. You would never know they were sugar free. Thank you so much, will be my breakfast of choice for the foreseeable future :-)
Brigitte Bilodeau
I have baked these today ….halved the recipe because I only had 1banana…really good I used molasses which I love in a recipe. That is the only sugar I used added walnuts pumpkin seeds ..they were awesome very filing and not cake like .i also added wheat germ maybe 2 table spoons .
Thanks
Lynn
Made these “as-is” recently – delicious.
Today, a snow day here in CT, I was craving banana-chocolate something and since I’ve also been dying to use some of my frozen from-the-farm-in-summer raspberries, I made them again, and threw in 2 cups of berries and a cup of chips (Ghiradelli ftw). The recipe made 3 short of 2 dozen and holy wow, the taste!
Anna-Kae
Great recipe! I made these, added some raisins to mine and it was just amazing!! Next time I want to try adding some coconut, I think that will give it a nice zing! :)
Jhana
Hi-just made these but used applesauce instead of oil and they are delicious!!!! My kids generally don’t like “healthier muffins” because they are less sweet, so applesauce adds that little extra sweetness and less calories/fat.
Caitlin
I just made these and they were super easy and delicious! Great way to get rid of overripe bananas. Thanks
Justine
Very easy to make and smells wonderful. For me I feel like it’s lacking in flavor just a bit. I’m trying really hard to find healthy alternatives to satisfy me sweet tooth. Do you have any other recipes that are a bit sweeter and healthy?
Jess H.
Making these muffins as I write. These are super yummy.. I did make the mini muffins and made some regular and the others with walnuts and blueberry.. OMG So Good.. I also added flax seeds to the batter.. I only had all purpose flour on hand.. I ended up using about 1 1/2 cups I added slowly till I liked the consistency.. Thank you great recipe like the rest of the world my hubby and i are looking to be a bit healthier and recipes like this make it a bit simpler.. Thanks again..
Sarah
I’ve made banana bread probably a thousand times but this recipe is by far my favourite one! They melted in my mouth! I added pecans and a 1/2 tsp of cardamon and I would HIGHLY recommend it. Thanks for the delicious recipe :)
Samantha
Hello! Just wondering, did you use unrefined or refined coconut oil in this recipe? Not that I mind, but I’m curious to see if it will have a slight coconut taste when I make these.
Sheri
This is a fabulous recipe, made the best banana bread muffins I’ve ever made, even though I made them gluten free! I used a gluten free rice flour mix, and added one and a half teaspoons of baking powder. For my own guilty pleasure, also added chocolate chips and sprinkled cinnamon on top. They rise and tast just like wheat muffins. Thank you for posting this amazing recipe.
AMY
These muffins are great my family loves them thanks so much for the recipe. I’m going to let everybody know.
Erin
Great recipe! I’ve made it several times now. I like to half the maple syrup (1/4 cup) and add a full tsp of salt and cinnamon. Also, because I never remember to measure the dry ingredients first, and my 1/3 measuring cup is dirty from the olive oil, I do 1/2 cup oats and 1-1/2 cups flour. I also add in some chocolate chips. It’s my new go to recipe for when the bananas go brown before they get eaten :)
Leigha
These are so delicious! Made them with honey, avocado oil (all I had) quick oats and brown sugar on the top instead of white. I also used whole wheat bread flour (all I had). They came out perfect, moist and tasty!
Blair
Just made these. A HUGE hit!! Will probably be making these at least once a week! I got 18 muffins out of your recipe! Thank you!!!
Janet
LOOOOVED these muffins and so did the whole family. Made a double batch and came out with 31 muffins. With a family of 5 that will last only a few days. Next time I will triple it to have it last all week. Will try adding Blueberries or Strawberries now that summer is almost here.Thank you!!
Maria
This is the best banana muffin recipe I’ve ever tried! (And I’ve tried a bunch over the years!) I added 1/4 cup roasted walnuts because I love the flavors of bananas and walnuts combined. Perhaps next time I will try chocolate chips. This is a keeper recipe!
Maria
Oh, and thank you so much for this recipe!
Anthea
Made these yesterday, they were delectable! So moist and easy to make. I added walnuts and raspberries at the end and it turned out beautifully. Will definitely make again.
– you can see the finished product on Instagram @evanthia_m – :)
Zakirah
I love how the sweetness is just right in this recipe- usually when baking from a recipe, I’d have to decrease the sweetener amount – but this one is just right! I only had all-purpose flour so that’s what I used, and I subbed the oil with melted butter, and the muffins turned out very well! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.